Since KSTP-AM 1500 made the splash of going to its ESPN all-sports format last spring, the biggest voice at the station has been Mackey’s. A former side-charge at rival KFAN, the twentysomething Mackey has played a major role in jockeying 1500 neck-and-neck with “the Fan.” When the station first announced that the stat-heavy Mackey would team with 40-plus-year media vet Patrick Reusse, many wondered if the kid had the chops to duel with the gravel-voiced curmudgeon. But in less than a year, Mackey has proven that he wields more than just a Sabermetric sword. Combining a distinct voice with a sensible wit and adroit Twins coverage, Mackey has wasted little time showing that he can bark with the big dogs while orchestrating a seeming impossibility: proving Reusse has a sunny side. With 1500 stalwart Joe Soucheray recently opting for reduced airtime, Mackey and Reusse found their noon-to-2 slot extended another hour. The added time showed that Mackey is far more than just a “BABIP” or “WAR” stat geek.

The realm of baseball journalism is a mash-up of observational writing, locker room sycophancy, rumor, hunch, and conventional wisdom. Even the town’s best are prisoner to some of it. Phil Mackey has brought a new stats- and rationality-driven take on the grand old game. He’s fearless, willing to say when the fan’s darling is really a mirage (his take on Michael Cuddyer was not popular this season) or shine a spotlight on an underappreciated player (JJ Hardy). He’s even got co-host Pat Reusse sounding curious now and then.